The Botanic Garden has an active volunteer programme running from March to October each year.

Volunteers are helping us to eradicate pernicious weeds, working with the horticultural staff in areas such as the Rock Garden, Vegetable Collection and Nursery and supporting us by helping with various administrative tasks.

"Volunteering at the Botanic Garden is not only fun and rewarding but it gives me the opportunity to feel part of the team and to learn from the experts. It's also great knowing you're doing something to help and that all the vegetables that we've so lovingly grown go to people who really appreciate them." Ness Newman, who has been volunteering half a day a week, working on the vegetable beds with Jim Penny of the Gardens Team.

"As a way to support the Garden, I can't recommend volunteering highly enough and hope our experience will encourage others to become involved in a hands-on way too." Ruth Sutherland, weeder

"It was an enjoyable and relaxing experience, nice people to chat to and share garden stories with. Now I'm doing more volunteering. It's not like weeding at home, the surroundings make it worthwhile!" Isabelle Kandler, weeder

There are currently no vacancies available but please check our website for details of when the volunteer programme opens next year.

The Harcourt Arboretum runs a volunteer programme. Volunteers are helping us to meet and greet visitors, and get involved in a variety of tasks, ranging from Rhododendron ponticum removal, hedge laying, planting, mulching and much more!.

Monthly work parties (10.30am to 3.30pm) - on the last Wednesday of the Month

If you are interested in volunteering at the Arboretum please download and complete an application form and return it to volunteers@obg.ox.ac.uk

Each year the Botanic Garden takes on two horticultural trainees to work alongside the horticultural staff. Trainees alternate on a 3 monthly basis between the Gardens and Glasshouses teams. They will also spend three separate weeks working at Harcourt Arboretum. During the year there is a training schedule of plant identifications, taught practical sessions and discussion sessions. The trainees will also undertake a project – typically making a set of herbarium specimens of a key collection at the Botanic Garden. An example programme can be downloaded here:

Previous trainees have also undertaken horticultural work placement exchanges with gardens such as Great Dixter.

Former trainees have gone on to further study such as the Kew Diploma, but also to employment in organisations including Kew, English Heritage, Westonbirt, Oxford Botanic Garden, Harcourt Arboretum, Winterbourne House and Garden.

Vacancies for these traineeships will be advertised on the news pages.

Due to the large number of requests we get we can currently only offer placements to students at horticultural college where a work experience placement is a requirement of the course. Safety boots and waterproofs must be provided by the student. At present we are not accepting requests for work experience placements at the Botanic Garden, for placements at the Harcourt Arboretum please email postmaster@obg.ox.ac.uk.

We encourage applications from Erasmus students, who are interested in work experience at the Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum. Placements can take place within the collections or education teams, and can include conservation and research work. If you are interested in applying, please contact postmaster@obg.ox.ac.uk.